


time spent with you

by EmmaArthur (EchoBleu)



Series: map out a world [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alec Lighwood's Birthday, Autism, Autistic Alec Lightwood, Birthday, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Malec Discord Server, Neurodiversity, Supportive Magnus Bane, Whump, a lot of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:20:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26432542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoBleu/pseuds/EmmaArthur
Summary: It’s taken a lot to get here, to the point where Alec’s neurology is just another part of their normal, and not something to hide and be ashamed of.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: map out a world [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883944
Comments: 21
Kudos: 366
Collections: Autistic Alec Lightwood





	time spent with you

**Author's Note:**

> I had a bunch of other stories planned for this series that come before this one, but I started to write a thing for Alec's birthday this morning and it turned into this. It's technically a sequel to [map out a world](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25957063), but I don't think it's really necessary to read it, just to know that Alec is autistic and Magnus is supportive.
> 
> It's mostly canon compliant up to the return from Edom, if the show timeline was closer to three years than three months. This is a few months after their return, and Alec and Magnus have been planning their wedding and Clary hasn't lost her memories.
> 
> I wrote all of it today and it's not betaed and not even properly re-read, but it's 1:30 am so I'll just post it as is. It was absolutely not supposed to be this long.

Magnus is in the middle of mixing together some delicate eye drops for his last client of the night when his phone rings. Swearing under his breath, he magics his hands clean and puts a stasis spell on the unstable mixture before grabbing his phone from his desk. The clock says it’s almost three a.m., and Alexander was supposed to be back from patrol over an hour ago.

It’s not an infrequent occurrence that Shadowhunter patrols last longer than they’re supposed to, or that Alec finds some urgent matter on his desk when he comes back, especially now that he’s pulling double duty with the Clave on top of his job as the Head of the Institute, but he usually at least drops Magnus a text that he’ll be late, knowing that Magnus waits up for him without fault. Magnus frowns as he sees not Alec’s but Isabelle’s name on his screen.

“What’s wrong?” He doesn’t bother with proper greetings. It’s too late into the night for that, and he saw Isabelle earlier anyway. Her calling Magnus at this time of the night can only mean there’s an issue – worry grips at his chest.

“Everyone’s alive,” Isabelle answers immediately.

“Alec’s hurt,” Magnus understands. Her cautious tone and her careful choice of words can’t be mistaken for something else.

“He’s gonna be okay, he just got...um...well, he’s in the infirmary. He’s awake and everything, but I thought you’d want to come pick him up.”

“He got what?” Magnus frowns. If Alec is awake, it can’t be too bad, right? 

“Um, he got impaled,” Isabelle mumbles. “By a demon spike.”

Magnus  _feels_ the blood leaving his face.  _Impaled_ brings up one specific, horrific memory of Alec lying on the ground with an arrow in his chest, and being so powerless, so  _useless_ – 

“What? Are you–” Magnus starts, but of course Isabelle isn’t joking. “What happened?”

“We were kinda taken by surprise,” Isabelle answers, her voice sounding small. “We went to answer a call about a nest of Raveners, and there were...a lot more demons than we thought. Different species, too. Alec jumped in front of Jace…”

Magnus runs a hand over his eyes. Of course Alec would do that. “He’s okay?” he checks.

“Yes, yes. He got patched up and he’s gonna be out of the field for a few days, but he’s awake and speaking. It was just...a little scary, for a while.”

Magnus closes his eyes and doesn’t ask why they didn’t call him. He trusts Isabelle and Jace, he knows they’re capable of making field decisions. They either didn’t have time to get him or it really wasn’t needed before now. “I’ll be here in five,” he says.

“You can come straight to the infirmary,” Isabelle says. “And Magnus?”

“Yes?”

“He really is okay,” she breathes.

Magnus sighs. “Thank you,” he mutters before hanging up.

It takes him just under three minutes to bring his mixture to a state where it can safely be left alone for the rest of the night, and another two to put away the more dangerous supplies. He leaves his work space in disarray, but it has rarely mattered less to Magnus than it does right now.

He portals directly outside the Institute’s infirmary, since he has Isabelle’s permission. He normally avoids doing that, if only to play nice with those of the Shadowhunters who are still not quite ready to trust him,  but tonight he doesn’t care about hurting anyone’s sensitivities.

“Magnus,” Jace greets him from where he’s leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for him.

“Alec?” Magnus asks.

“He’ll be ready to go home in a minute,” Jace explains. “Just, um, don’t let him strain himself, okay? The iratze will need some time to do its work.”

“I can heal him–” Magnus starts.

“The wound is resistant to magic, or we would have called you,” Jace interrupt him. 

Magnus observes him critically. He looks exhausted and worried. He’s obviously changed out of his patrol clothes but there’s still blood in his hair, though the cut it came from is healed. “Jace, is there something you’re not telling me?”

“No,” Jace gestures tiredly. “It was just a bad night, is all. I hate seeing Alec so ready to sacrifice himself for me.”

Magnus nods in understanding. “I’ll take care of him. I promise.”

“Don’t let him back to work until next week, alright? He’s been working himself to the ground since we came back from Edom.”

“Understood,” Magnus smiles a little. He can say no to almost a week off with his husband-to-be, although he’d rather Alec didn’t have to get hurt for that. “I had plans for tomorrow, but–”

Jace grimaces. “Yeah, unless you planned a movie marathon, you may have to rethink that. I don’t think he’ll be going anywhere.”

“Only Alec would get hurt the day before his birthday,” Magnus mock-rolls his eyes. “We’ll find something quiet to do. Plans can be rescheduled, health can’t.”

“Do you mind if we drop by? Me and Izzy, maybe Clary.” 

“Of course not. He’s your brother, you should get to celebrate his birthday with him.”

“Thanks,” Jace’s face lights up a little for the first time since Magnus got there. “You’ll probably hear from Maryse as well. She’s got a lot of birthdays to make up for.”

Magnus winces. Alec has never really talked about it freely, but he knows birthdays weren’t a big deal in the Lightwood household, and Alec’s perhaps least of all. Maryse and Robert didn’t even bother to call him, in the years they spent in Idris and left Alec in charge of the Institute. But Maryse has been trying to make up for a lot lately, and Magnus is at least confident that Max will get his father to videocall Alec.

“Very well,” Magnus says. “Let’s get Alexander home then, shall we?”

Jace nods and opens the infirmary door.

Alec is sitting up on the exam table, shirtless. The upper part of his chest in swathed in bandage s, and he’s letting Isabelle help him into a button down – which says everything about how much pain he’s in, because Alec is fiercely independent at the best of times.

“Magnus, hey,” he says weakly as he looks up – more out of embarrassment than anything else, though. His voice is steady and his gaze is clear, which goes a long way toward reassuring Magnus.

“Alexander.” Magnus crosses his arms over his chest.

“I’m fine,” Alec scrambles to reassure him, and he’s proven a liar immediately as Isabelle moves his left arm to place it in a sling and he hisses in pain. He cuts himself off immediately and straightens his back, even though it clearly hurts.

“Clearly,” Magnus says dryly. But he can’t keep up his facade for long, not in front of Alec’s sometimes terrifying stoicism. He walks to Alec and leans over to kiss him. “What do you need?”

Alec works his jaw for a moment. “Home,” he murmurs as if the admission hurts him.

_ Comfort _ , Magnus hears. His Alec-speech translator is getting better.  He can recognize the way Alec shies away from the harsh neon lights of the infirmary, just a little, how quiet his voice is.

At Isabelle’s confirming nod that Alec can go, Magnus opens a portal. “Let’s go, then.”

He takes Alec’s right hand in his and helps slide off the exam table, letting him lean against him. “ Wait,” Alec murmurs just before they can step into the portal. He looks over at Isabelle and Jace. “You gonna be okay?”

“Of course,” Isabelle smiles. “We’ll hold the fort.”

M agnus waits patiently, recognizing the symbolic transfer of power for what it is. Alec nods to his sister, then to his brother, looking each of them in the eye to make sure they’re fine. “Okay,” he says, and Magnus leads the way through the portal.

*

A lec doesn’t stir when Magnus gets out of bed at just past  ten the next morning – or later that morning, depending how you want to look at things. So maybe the painkiller Magnus gave him before they went to sleep also knocked him out a little. It’s for the best, really, Alec dearly needs the sleep.

Once dressed, Magnus works on making him the perfect breakfast tray, with little pastries from three different European countries and the best coffee Italy can offer.  Once he has it all ready, he settles back onto the bed beside Alec, watching him sleep.

They had a rough time getting him to settle down enough to fall asleep, after coming back from the Institute.  Hypervigilance, pain and exhaustion never mix well in anyone, but last night they made him shut down hard as soon as he got through the portal, to the point that Magnus had to maneuver him into bed with his hands. Alec couldn’t give in to sleep until he had Magnus essentially lying on top of him, though careful of his injury, and the painkiller potion had fully taken effect.

“Morning,” Alec murmurs roughly, before he even opens his eyes.

Magnus silently traces a path on Alec’s exposed arm and waits until he’s properly awake. He’s thrown back the covers in his sleep, including the weighted blanket, and Magnus can admire his chest at leisure, only marred by the bandages around the packed wound under his arm.  It hasn’t bled through, and Alec’s iratze rune is still stark and slightly glowing, so Magnus isn’t worried about it.

“Magnus?” Alec asks, leaning up on his elbow with a wince, and Magnus realizes that he’s been lost in his thoughts for a moment too long.

“Sorry,” he murmurs. “Happy birthday, Alexander.”

Alec gives him a wide smile, and Magnus basks in it.  He leans in for a light kiss, but Alec doesn’t let him go, letting himself fall back on the bed to bring his good arm around Magnus’ neck.

It was technically already his birthday when they got home last night, but after years of doing night shifts, Alec and his siblings have a rule that it’s not the next day until you’ve slept, and Magnus is happy to comply with it. That and Alec’s state last night didn’t lend to proper birthday kisses. 

“Thank you,” Alec murmurs in his ear.

Magnus sits up, helping Alec against the headboard on both their pillows. He doesn’t protest the treatment, only wincing at anything that jostles his left arm, which he keeps cradled against his chest. 

“I have to say that despite last night’s unpleasantness, I’m quite happy to have you all day for myself,” Magnus says casually. “Or at least most of the day. Your siblings are coming by later, I’m assuming sometime before their next shift. And no, you’re not going in, not even to do paperwork.”

“But–” Alec tries to protest.

“Paperwork can wait, Alec. You’ve been working too much, and now you need to take some time to heal.”

A lec sighs. “You know it’s important work,” he says. “It needs to be done.”

“Yes, but you have deputies for a reason. Let Isabelle and Underhill take care of it for a few days, and you’ll just go back to it with clearer eyes. We can hold the Cabinet meeting here tomorrow so you don’t have to sit in those terribly uncomfortable chairs at the Institute.”

“You magically cushion them anyway,” Alec snorts.

Magnus raises his hand in mock offense. “Me? Never. That would be a terrible breach of hospitality rules.”

“Shadowhunters don’t pay much attention to comfort,” Alec shrugs with his good shoulder. “But you’re right, I should have these chairs changed for our guests. It would be a nice gesture, since I’m trying to prove that we’re capable of adapting to the recent changes.”

Magnus’ heart constrict s a little at Alec’s perfectly serious tone.  It never struck him as much as when he lived in the Institute for a few days, how utilitarian everything there is. Beside the original building, raised to the grace of the Angel Raziel and beautiful in its own way, there is little there whose purpose is decoration, or comfort. It’s not homely in any way. And yet it’s where Alec spent all of his formative years, in the  chilliness of a church and the cold embrace of absent parents.

“You know what? Let’s not talk about work at all,” Magnus says. “Here. Breakfast.”

He floats the tray over, and Alec takes it in with the slight blush that means he’s trying not to protest that he doesn’t need that much luxury. Magnus wonders if he’s finally gotten that habit out of him. “ Wow, thank you,” he says instead.

“I’d planned for us to go out today before your shift, but if we can’t go to Europe, I can make Europe come to us,” Magnus smiles.

“I’m sorry I put a dent in your plans,” Alec frowns a little, starting to eat one-handed.

“Alexander, those were plans for _you_. It’s your birthday. It should be your day.”

“Oh,” Alec tilts his head bashfully. “Then, spending it with you is all I want.”

M agnus melts. He’ll never get used to Alec’s sneaky romantic proclamations, that he always pronounces as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Darling,” he murmurs, unable to say more.

Alec smiles softly and pops a piece of croissant in his mouth.

*

By the time Magnus opens the door to Maryse in mid-afternoon, Alec is  relaxed on the couch in a zipped-up hoodie and sweat pants, his left arm secured in its sling and his right hand curled around a mug of Magnus’ special muscle-relaxant herbal concoction.  Jace, Isabelle and Clary have arranged themselves around him, Jace beside him on the couch, Isabelle perched up on the armrest, and Clary sitting cross-legged on the floor, her sketchpad in her lap.  Alec has just h ung up the phone after Max called him from Los Angeles.

The four of them in his – their – living room is an incredibly domestic picture, to Magnus, something he wouldn’t have dreamed of just a few years ago. He’s come to love these people with his whole heart, and more incredibly, they love him back.

Maryse’s expression as she takes them in has a similar slightly bittersweet quality – more sweet than bitter, but Magnus can tell she’s thinking about all the time she’s wasted, all the harm she’s done. “ Izzy told me what happened last night,” she says. “He’s okay?”

Magnus nods. “A bit worse for the wear, but nothing really bad.”

“I don’t know how I ever managed to do it,” Maryse says, her voice so low that Magnus isn’t even sure she’s really addressing him. “Sending them on missions. I was terrified, every day, that something would happen to them, and the only way I managed to show them that was by being more stern, and keeping my distance.”

M agnus extends an arm to comfort her, but he lets it fall back down, remembering that she’s no more a fan of touching than Alec is. Alec has grown into a hugger now, but only when he’s in the right mood, and the right sensory environment.  Magnus simply doesn’t have enough connection with Maryse to guess when that might be the case for her.

“I’m glad you’re taking care of Alec,” she says, her smile grateful and apologetic.

“Me too,” Magnus replies cheekily.

Maryse huffs a laugh and fully walks into the loft.

“Mom!” Alec’s face lights up when he sees her. He looks genuinely surprised, and Magnus is really grateful that she came by.

“Happy birthday, Alec,” Maryse says, just a little awkwardly.

In no time, she’s sitting beside him in Jace’s place, fussing over his injury. Magnus just keeps watching them, enjoying seeing his fiance so relaxed and happy,  until Isabelle beckons him in and engages him in some nonsensical  argument on, for some reason, petticoats and men wearing heels. 

Magnus obliges and sits down on the floor by Clary. It’s not his usual style, and there are still two perfectly good armchairs waiting to be used, but t oday more than usual, there’s a need to be close, almost touching. A family. For the first time in his life, Magnus feels part of a family.

H e takes a deep, steadying breath to keep the realization from showing on his face, in the middle of Isabelle’s rant on the perfect heel height. But of course, Alec sees it. He always does.

He’s too far – and currently less than mobile – to hug Magnus, so he gently nudges him with his foot instead. Magnus lets out a choked laugh and shifts to rest against Alec’s leg. “I love you,” he signs.

Alec replies “I love you too,” and turns back to his mother. He’s fidgeting with the metal buckle of his sling, spinning it over and over. Wordlessly, Magnus conjures Alec’s tangle fidget into his hand and offers it to Alec, who takes it with a grateful smile.

M agnus pretends to listen to Isabelle’s rant for another while, then needing a change of pace, he steals Clary’s sketchbook from her.

“Hey!” she protests. “I’m not done yet!”

Magnus turns the pad over. She’s drawn all the Lightwoods on the couch, from her perspective on the floor. Isabelle has her arm thrown over Alec’s shoulder, who is looking over at Jace, with Maryse between them. They all look soft and content, and Magnus can’t help an emotional smile. “This is beautiful,” he murmurs to Clary.

“I’ll give it to Alec when it’s finished,” she replies. She takes the sketchbook back from Magnus’ hands and scribbles ‘Alec’s birthday’ in block letters at the bottom, then her signature. “There,” she says. “All done.”

Magnus stands up at that. “Gift time!” he proclaims.

As everyone scrambles to get their gifts from various bags and pockets, Magnus takes the opportunity to steal the seat beside Alec, and give his fiance a side hug. “How are you feeling?” he murmurs in Alec’s ear.

“Good,” Alec answers. “I’m glad everyone’s here.”

Magnus nods. He’s glad too, he’s glad that Alec’s happy. He also knows that Alec won’t tell him if he’s tired or in pain, to avoid bothering anyone, so he’ll have to watch out for it.

Jace gives Alec a dagger, which should come as a surprise to no one. Magnus wonders exactly how many weapons Alec owns that were carved or bought by his parabatai. Isabelle gives him a pair of black leather gloves engraved with runes, whose exact purpose escapes Magnus at the moment. Clary produces a wooden box for Alec’s desk, hand-painted with swirling patterns in shades of blue and gray. She lets Magnus conjure silver frame for her drawing before she also gives it to Alec, and Magnus can see, for the first time, all four Lightwoods get misty-eyed at the same time.

Maryse’s gift for Alec is a heavy mundane book on archery, and its significance in different cultures around the globe. Magnus frowns at first, knowing Alec isn’t much of a reader – is it possible that Maryse doesn’t know that? – but he appears genuinely grateful, and almost itching to open it and bury himself in it. Of course, it clicks suddenly. Archery is Alec’s interest, or one of them.  He’s always hungry for new things to learn, and Maryse chose very well.

M agnus is the last to hand Alec his gift. They had a conversation about presents and money, long ago, where they agreed that birthday and Christmas gifts were to be more symbolic than expensive. Magnus never misses an occasion to lavish his fiance with expensive things, but he also understands where his money can come with a power imbalance, and he likes the concept of a symbolic gift, anyway. Something that takes more thought than money.

Alec tears off the wrapping paper and opens the box to find a pair of cordless headphones. He looks up at Magnus questioningly. “I’ve seen you use the Soundless rune when things get too loud,” Magnus explains. “I know you’re afraid of not hearing something important when you do that.” He keeps his voice quiet because he’s not entirely sure how much Alec wants the others to know about this, but it’s a waste of time because they’re all listening attentively. Alec doesn’t look uncomfortable, though, and Magnus can’t help thinking that it’s a huge progress since the time when he was ashamed of everything related to his autism.

“They’ll play music like mundane headphones, but I’ve spelled the noise-canceling function so that it will remove constant background noise and really loud things and let through anything else.” He takes the headphones and places them carefully on Alec’s head. “Also if you tap right here,” he demonstrates, placing his fingers just behind Alec’s right ear, “they’ll disappear from sight. No one can see them, you can’t feel them, but they still work.”

Alec’s face lights up. “That’s amazing, Magnus,” he smiles. He makes the headphones reappear and disappear again a couple of times. 

“I’m glad you think so,” Magnus smiles back.

“Thank you. They’re going to be really useful.”

The discussion launches into the best music to listen to while working out, with Isabelle and Clary gently mocking Alec’s tastes. He keeps the headphones on, without making them invisible, and Magnus can tell how relieved he is that none of the others seem bothered by it. It’s taken a lot to get here, to the point where Alec’s  neurology is just another part of their normal, and not something to hide and be ashamed of.

Maryse excuses herself after another hour. “I’ll leave you kids to have fun by yourself,” she says, purposefully eyeing Magnus the way she does every time she lumps him in with the younger Shadowhunters. Magnus rolls his eyes back at her.

“You just want to go see Luke,” Jace grins.

“Jace!” Maryse groans. “Yes, I do have plans for dinner with him. Alec, you get some rest, alright? No working until you’re all healed up. I’ll come by tomorrow after I close the shop if that’s alright?”

“Okay, Mom,” Alec chuckles.

“You’re always welcome, Maryse,” Magnus says.

J ace walks her to the door, and Magnus catches Alec watching her retreating back contemplatively. He wonders if Alec is thinking about the changes in his mother, about the birthdays when she didn’t even bother to call him. But the conversation soon derails into yet another friendly argument, and Magnus doesn’t ponder too long.

He only sees it out of the corner of his eyes, at first. Alec sagging, whenever he thinks no one is looking. He shifts uncomfortably, more and more often,  pain beginning to draw his features. He flinches back when Clary reaches out to pat him on the knee, and even she notices, frowning. He speaks less and less, until he stops completely.

M agnus motions toward the door. “Okay, I think it’s time for Alexander to get that rest we keep talking about,” he says.

Alec buries his head in Magnus’ shoulder, flushing a little in embarrassment but also grateful. Isabelle immediately springs to her feet, closely followed by Jace and Clary. “We should head out anyway,” she says. “Shift’s starting in an hour.”

“Happy birthday again, Alec,” Clary says. None of them try to hug him. Alec waves with a smile and closes his eyes as they leave.

“Do you want to sleep?” Magnus asks him once they’re alone.

Alec shakes his head and removes the headphones with his free hand. “Not yet,” he says, his tone flat.

Magnus runs a hand through Alec’s hair and gently massages his scalp. Alec lets out a moan of pleasure. That gives him an idea.

“I had booked us a Thai massage for today,” he says. “How do you feel about me giving you a full body massage instead?”

A lec looks up at him with wide eyes. “Okay,” he signs.

“Let’s get you to bed, then,” Magnus smiles.

“It was a good day,” Alec murmurs in his ear. “Thank you.”

Magnus leans in to kiss his forehead. “Happy birthday, Alexander.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm also on [Tumblr](https://emma-arthur.tumblr.com/) if you want to chat.


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